About

Witchmarsh

£102,430

pledged of £50,000 goal

5,420

backers

It's the Roaring Twenties! Join an unlikely team of detectives as they charge headlong into the darkest corners of rural America. Their mission: find and return twelve missing townsfolk who vanished under mysterious circumstances.

A handsome reward is in store should they succeed, but with the supernatural lurking around every corner, will any of them live long enough to collect it?

Update: Witchmarsh is now being published by the wonderful Chucklefish Games! They'll be offering us their business and marketing expertise, so we can focus more time and energy on the game itself.

We'll be talking more about this in a forthcoming update, so stay tuned.

*TARGET REACHED, THANK YOU!* £50k - The Game - The minimum amount needed to bring Witchmarsh to life. All funding before and after this point will be spent on graphics, code, story and any necessary business costs. If we reach our dream target of £160k we'll be able to polish the game until every pixel shines like a magpie's dream-home.

*UNLOCKED!* £70k - Alternate Character Perk + Hardcore Mode - An interesting variation on a current playable character. Revealed when stretch goal is reached. We'll also add in an optional Hardcore mode for the bravest adventurers to take on.

Update: Alternate character perks revealed! Woodcutter Trapper and Seaworthy Moose will both be playable in the game.

*UNLOCKED!* £90k - New Investigator - The Alchemist will be unlocked as a playable character. We'll also add 10 more player abilities, bringing the total to 60.

£120k - Freelancer Mode - An all new multiplayer challenge and survival mode. Create an investigator and battle waves of enemies in a series of combat challenges.

£130k - Additional Artist - We'll bring in a second pixel artist to help speed up production. In addition to this, we'll also increase the number of player abilities to 70.

£145k - Bonus tracks - Extra background music will be added to the game's soundtrack.

£150k - New Area: The Brackish Abyss - Explore a bleak stretch of the Massachusetts coastline, pocketed with labyrinthine caverns and abandoned huts. Will feature its own story arc, quest hub and a unique set of enemies from the deep. We'll also add a new playable investigator for you to explore it with, too!

£175k - More Content - Funding will be used to create the fully polished game we had in mind when we first embarked on this project. We'll use this extra funding to create more animations, cutscenes, dialogue trees and easter eggs.

Witchmarsh puts a side-scrolling spin on classic RPGs like Baldur's Gate and Wizardry, without compromising on depth. The game features online multiplayer, extensive character creation, countless ability and item combinations, and rewarding boss encounters.

Features

A mix of modern and classic RPGs, with branching dialogue and responsive, tactical combat.

Play singleplayer or with friends in 2-4 player Co-op.

Dripping with Jazz Age style, featuring music by Francisco Cerda, composer on Gunpoint and Jamestown.

A massive character creation sandbox with over 50 unlockable abilities* across five spellbooks. Mix and match attributes, perks, items and weapons to create a unique team of adventurers. Or simply use one of the many templates to dive straight into the action.

A game for seasoned RPG fans as well as players new to the genre. Optional bosses and challenges for those brave enough to seek them out.

After selecting an investigator you'll proceed to the character creation screen. Utilise a wide range of perks, skills and abilities to sculpt a team of PIs that fits the way you want to play.

All this flexibility clears the way for quirky and surprising character builds. How about turning the Scribe into a capable melee fighter, or embarking on a single-character run? These self-imposed challenges are part of what makes RPGs great, and we can't wait to see what people come up with.

Don't worry if all this seems a bit complicated: character templates are available should you wish to get straight into the action.

Meet the Investigators

Each investigator has their own perks, traits, abilities and personality.

AbilitiesThere are a total of five ability schools and five attributes in Witchmarsh. How you combine these will determine your characters' playstyle, as well as the secrets and clues they will uncover.

Mix the craft attribute with fire and water and you'll unlock the power of elemental sorcery. Swap spirit for craft and your spellbook will take on ritualistic themes; drawing power from ancient forces and the marsh itself.

A sample of the abilities you can teach your investigators.

Leads and CluesDuring your investigation you'll unearth a number of important leads and clues which you can use to build a case.

Leads allow you to travel to a location where mysteries and events are unfolding. These may prove relevant to the kidnappings, or they could simply be a red herring, yielding only EXP and treasure.

Clues fuel progress in the game's main storyline, and how you choose to interpret them will impact on your team's reputation. Did the embalming fluid come from the crypt, or are the local bootleggers brewing up something nasty? Dig around for information before throwing your weight around.

SecretsWitchmarsh features a dynamic system where player attributes are used to reveal different treasure. The craftiest and best equipped players will be rewarded with bonus EXP, loot and achievements.

Witchmarsh combines the eccentricities of the 1920s with elements of mystery and horror; think equal parts Lovecraft and Wodehouse. You'll come across a host of oddball characters, from flappers and the nouveau riche, to petulant swamp wizards.

So far we've been developing Witchmarsh in our spare time. Funding would allow us to put aside our other commitments and focus on creating the best game we can. We really can't do this without your support!

The GameA digital copy of Witchmarsh on PC and Mac. Steam key included should we arrive on steam.

All tiers. Estimated Delivery: December 2015.

Original SoundtrackFrancisco Cerda is known for his work on the soundtracks to indie gems Gunpoint and Jamestown. Tier 3+ backers will receive the full Witchmarsh soundtrack as a digital download with the game.

Tier 3 upwards. Estimated Delivery: December 2015.

Digital BestiaryAn animated digital bestiary, charting some of the beasts found in the forests and caves surrounding Witchmarsh. Don't worry, it'll be spoiler sensitive. Available in .exe, .dmg and static as a PDF.

Tier 4 upwards. Estimated Delivery: September 2014.

Gold Beta AccessPlay the first chapter of the game before it's released. Give us your feedback and help shape the future of Witchmarsh.

Tier 5 upwards. Estimated Delivery: To be announced. Please note: In earlier tiers a Bronze Beta Key is available, allowing access to a second-run beta test some time after the Gold.

The PosterOliver Sin is a UK-based designer and a friend of the project. He'll be creating a physical poster for reward tiers 8 and beyond. The design will be revealed once the campaign has ended.

Risks and challenges

We've invested a lot of time into planning, researching and building the game's core systems. We've factored in the cost of fulfilling rewards, and our stretch goals are all achievable within the allotted time.

The greatest risk we face, besides not reaching our funding goal, is a slight delay in order to ensure that we're shipping a top quality product.

If we greatly exceed our funding goals we may have to slightly push back the release date as well. As every penny pledged will be put back into the game, adding new features will take extra time to code, animate and properly test.

Witchmarsh would be our first release; however, Lou and Joe hold a combined total of 7 years in the CGI industry. They're used to delivering lengthy projects on time and to specifications. Matt (Leth) will also be working with us closely to ensure development is on track and to handle the trickier aspects of the code.

Witchmarsh can't become a reality without your support, so we're eternally grateful for every pledge we receive. Thank you!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £15 or more
About US$ 20

● Rank 2S - Gatekeeper

UPDATE: All pledges in Tiers 2 and beyond, including Navigator, now come with a Bronze Beta Key. This grants you access to a secondary beta test, date TBA. ● All previous rewards included. ✚ A spoiler free PDF map of Witchmarsh to help you find your way back to civilisation ✚ Backer exclusive HD wallpapers and a PDF instruction book!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £15 or more
About US$ 20

● Rank 1C - Musical Drifter

A DRM-free digital copy of the game. Available on PC/Mac. ✚ A Steam key, if we arrive on steam. ✚ The full Soundtrack to the game by Francisco Cerda ● The OST can be added to other tiers as an add-on, simply increase your pledge amount by £5 and we'll send you a survey when the campaign's done.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £18 or more
About US$ 23

● Rank 1B - Double Drifter

● DOUBLE PACK - Receive an additional copy of Witchmarsh to play with a friend. Alternatively, just add multiples of £8 to any pledge and we'll send you a survey once we're done. There's a maximum of 8 additional copies allowed. ● 2x DRM-free digital copies of the game. Available on PC/Mac. ✚ 2x Steam keys, if we arrive on steam. ✚ Our deepest thanks for making this a possibility.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £65 or more
About US$ 85

● Rank 6 S - The Council

EARLY BIRD EDITION

Special price for being an early supporter! ● All previous rewards included. ✚ 3 extra copies of the game to play with friends ✚ Invites to a special Town Council forum where you can vote on issues relevant to the game's development. ✚ A thanks in the end credits for putting extra faith in the project, it's the least we can do.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £80 or more
About US$ 104

● Rank 6 - The Council

All previous rewards included. ✚ MULTI BUY - 3 extra copies of the game to play with friends. ✚ Invites to a special Town Council forum where you can vote on issues relevant to the game's development. ✚ A heartfelt thanks in the end credits.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £140 or more
About $182

Rank 11S (SPECIAL OFFER) - Mighty Rascal

Includes everything from reward tiers 1-6. ✚ Help us design a powerful mini-boss which terrorises the hills and caverns of Witchmarsh. Decide its look, behaviour and give it one unique ability. ✚ A very special place in the credits.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £400 or more
About $521

● Rank 10 - Nemesis

Includes everything from reward tiers 1-6 as well as the poster and postcards. ✚ Design a fitting monster for the Investigators to do battle with. You'll work with us to ensure the enemy fits snugly into the game. ✚ A special place in the credits with your own Witchmarsh style sprite.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £500 or more
About $651

● Rank 11 - Grand Explorer

Includes everything from reward tiers 1-6. ✚ Place yourself, a friend or a character of your own design into the game as a 20th century explorer. ✚ Poster and postcards. ✚ A very special place in the credits.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £1,300 or more
About $1,694

● Rank 12 - Hellraiser

Design a boss encounter appropriate for the game. ● Includes everything from reward tiers 1-6. ● Ever have a really neat idea for a videogame boss? You'll work with us to bring your vision to life. Decide its theme, lair, special attacks and more! ✚ A place in the credits (Additional Boss Design by --) ✚ Poster and postcards.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £5,000 or more
About $6,514

● Rank 13 - Rufus T. Firefly

The ultimate backer tier. ● Includes ALL previous rewards. Includes boss, monster and portrait tiers. ● Near the end of the game's development cycle we'll send you a total of six top secret Witchmarsh gifts. These will include official merchandise, exclusive toys and models as well as the posters and postcards. ✚ Design a boss encounter appropriate for the game. Ever have a really neat idea for a videogame boss? You'll work with us to bring your vision to life. Decide its theme, lair, special attacks and more! ✚ A place in the credits (Additional Design by --)